How Can I Get My Distracted Dog to Pay Attention to Me?

As you try to make your dog better on leash, try to walk him at times when there will be fewer distractions like other dogs and traffic.

My Golden Retriever is so distracted on walks — she looks at anything and everything except for me. I can’t get her to listen to anything I say! The only thing saving us from disaster is her front clip harness — if it weren’t for that, I would have no control of her at all. What can I do to get and keep her attention?

It’s understandably frustrating to feel like the only thing connecting you and your dog during walks is the leash between you. But don’t give up! It’s possible to refocus your dog’s attention on walks. The key is to create a strong foundation of communication with your pup; this can help increase her focus on you both at home and on outings.

Communication Makes All the Difference

Good communication starts with consistency. Your first step is to teach your dog what behaviors
earn her rewards and what behaviors will be ignored. You want to focus specifically on teaching calm, focused behaviors. For example, when your dog
greets people, reward her for keeping all four paws on the ground instead of jumping up on your visitor. Consistently reinforce the behaviors you want to see more of and ignore those you want to put a stop to.

A reward can be anything your dog values or desires. Examples include tasty treats, favorite toys, petting, praise or extra play time. Use rewards throughout the day to reinforce existing good behaviors — for example, reward her with praise or petting when she
waits patiently at the door when visitors arrive. Rewards can also be used to increase her tendency to respond to requests you make of her, such as rewarding with a toy or treat when she
sits on command.

If your dog doesn’t do an asked-for behavior or if her behavior is undesirable,
remove your attention and wait for more acceptable behavior to naturally occur, such as a quiet rather than a barking mouth, or prompt another behavior she understands, like sit or touch. Immediately reward the acceptable behavior. Most dogs quickly learn which behaviors earn them something fun and which don’t.

You may also need to help your dog get in the right frame of mind for a walk.
Golden Retrievers are bred to hunt and retrieve hidden items, and this may be what your dog is trying to do on her walks. In order to make it easier for her to focus on you, it is important that you find productive ways for her to channel her excess energy before you head out to stroll the neighborhood.

Games like “find it,”
structured tug and fetch can help to fulfill your dog’s desire to work and move. Playing one of these games prior to a walk can help alleviate some of your dog’s excess tension and energy and make her more likely to listen to your commands when you’re on your walk.